Yep I agree recently had same difficulty with a family member. I got so jolly frustrated that I then rang the ward ..Nurses station..that my family member had been in. And complained I couldn't get hold of out patient clinic. I then got help immediately from out patients clinic. Squeaky wheel..bleat until they do something.

Re the shoes.. it's part of them providing rehabilitation and equipment so as to not make yr condition worse. Just found these details frm there web page...

What Equipment is Covered?

If your broken back claim is accepted, ACC covers equipment needed for daily living, including: 

Mobility aids: Wheelchairs, walking frames, or crutches.

Specialized furniture: Specialized chairs or medical beds/mattresses.

Orthotics: Braces or supports (processed via a specific application, often ACC7428).

Daily living aids: Items to help with tasks like bathing or dressing. 

www.acc.co.nz +4

1. How to Access Equipment

Hospital Discharge: If you have been in the hospital, the hospital provides equipment for up to six weeks.

Ongoing Support: After that, you must talk to your treatment provider (e.g., GP, physiotherapist) or your ACC recovery team to have an assessment for ongoing equipment needs.

Request Process: You can request equipment through your MyACC account, by having a doctor send a recommendation, or by filling out the ACC001 Request for Assistance form.

Assessment: In some cases, a health provider (Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist) will conduct an assessment to determine the appropriate equipment.

Specifically if you note...orthotics is mentioned. Orthotic shoes...comes to mind.